Notre Dame and CUA are easily the finest Catholic universities in the nation and yes, both continue to improve.
Only the most ignorant of souls would equate the Holy Cross Fathers or other faithful ND priests to Fr. McBrien. Sadly that’s the only name some “Traditionalists” know when it comes to ND.
Sadly also is the fact he’s there and has been for quite a while infecting untold numbers of young minds with his unique, well maybe not unique to some

maybe even you, brand of theology.
Until he’s gone we have to equate Notre Dame with him. They allow him there and allow him to spread his ideas. Who’s fault is that if not theirs? Even more sad is the fact that his Book, Catholicism, was praised and advocated by his peers at Notre dame including the then president Rev Theodore M. Hesburgh CSC, who encouraged
ALL incoming students to Notre Dame to take McBriens class on the subject, which amazingly enough use the book he authored.

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For those who don’t know McBriens book includes such gems as the statement that Jesus didn’t found the Catholic Church or any Church at all for that matter and that the miracles and life stories about him were concocted by later followers in order to legitimize their “movement” The Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of Mary are discredited and said not to belong in the core of the Catholic faith. Homosexuality and abortion must be left up to the individuals conscience and not the Church, etc etc etc as nauseum.
The USCCB roundly and rightfully rejected this book and refused an imprimateur for it, despite it going through numerous revisions.It was still so far out in left field as to be an embarrasment.
Yet Notre Dame, stood squarely behind McBride, never wavering in their support of him and continuing to allow him to preach and teach at that once great Catholic institution.
I think that speaks volumes about what is taught, practiced and believed by the staff at Notre Dame.
No one can dispute the fact that Notre Dame is a great secular university. It stopped however, being a solidly Catholic university a long long time ago in anything except name only.